1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier, printer, scanner, facsimile machine, compound machine, multifunctional machine, or the like, an information processing method, a program, and a memory medium such as an SD memory card.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, compound machines and multifunctional machines provided with all of the copier function, printer function, and scanner function have begun to be commercially available on the market. A compound machine or multifunctional machine prints an image on a print sheet when it functions as a copier or printer, and scans an image from an original document when it serves as a copier or scanner. Also, the compound machine or multifunctional machine exchanges images with another device via a telephone line when it serves as a facsimile machine.
Patent Document 1 discloses an invention directed to an image forming apparatus provided with all of the copier function, printer function, and scanner function. In this image forming apparatus, software corresponding to applications and software corresponding to a platform are provided as software components of the image forming apparatus. Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 disclose inventions directed to an image forming apparatus provided with various types of software components.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-84383    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-110779    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-297792
With respect to the usage of compound machines and multifunctional machines, various types of needs are in existence on the market. In order to satisfy those various types of needs, it may suffice to change the design of applications for use in the compound machines and multifunctional machines according to where these machines are used. In practice, however, changing application designs according to the place of use is rather difficult. It may thus be convenient if the method of controlling applications can be changed according to the place of use, instead of changing application designs according to the place of use.
Accordingly, there is a need for an image forming apparatus for which the method of controlling applications for use in the image forming apparatus can be readily modified according to the place of use. Also, there are needs for an information processing method, a program, and a record medium for use with such image forming apparatus.